Morgan Rielly is a Canadian ice hockey defenseman and alternate captain for the Toronto Maple Leafs in the National Hockey League. He was selected by the Maple Leafs as the fifth overall pick in the first round of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft.
Bio/Wiki
Age- 29 years
Full name-Morgan Frederick Rielly
Height- 185 cm
Weight- 98 kg
Born- 9 March 1994
Birthplace-Vancouver, Canada
Spouse-Tessa Virtue
Profession-Canadian ice hockey defenceman
Current team-Toronto Maple Leafs (#44 / Defenseman)
Nationality- Canadian
Parents
Morgan Rielly’s parents are Andy Rielly and Shirley Rielly. His mother, Shirley, works as a cancer researcher and owns a medical company. He has an older brother named Connor, and their family owns a Labrador Retriever named Maggie.
Wife
Rielly is married to Tessa Virtue, a Canadian Olympic gold medalist in ice dancing.
Career
Rielly was chosen second overall by the Moose Jaw Warriors in the 2009 WHL Bantam Draft. However, he faced a setback during the 2011–12 WHL season due to a serious knee injury, which sidelined him for most of the season. Despite this, he returned for the tail end of the playoffs. Rielly made his professional debut towards the end of the 2012–13 season with the Toronto Marlies in the AHL. He then joined the Maple Leafs roster at the beginning of the 2013–14 NHL season. During his career, he scored his first NHL goal against Marc-André Fleury of the Pittsburgh Penguins on December 16, 2013.
Throughout the 2015–16 season, Rielly received recognition from Maple Leafs head coach Mike Babcock and management. However, in the 2017–18 season, he faced an injury and was placed on injured reserve. Rielly recorded his first multigoal game against Cam Talbot of the New York Rangers on February 10, 2015. Although the 2022–23 regular season was considered disappointing by his previous standards, Rielly played a critical role in the Maple Leafs’ success in the opening series of the 2023 Stanley Cup playoffs against the Tampa Bay Lightning, especially considering a knee injury that caused him to miss fifteen games earlier in the season.
Morgan Rielly’s Contract
Morgan Rielly signed an eight-year deal worth $60 million with the Toronto Maple Leafs on October 29, 2021. This contract carries a cap hit of $7.5 million.
Morgan Rielly’s Suspension
Rielly’s Controversial Hit and NHL Hearing
Last Saturday in Ottawa, Rielly delivered a forceful double-check to the face of young Senators forward Ridly Greig after the latter aggressively shot the puck into an empty net late in the game. Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe supported Rielly’s hit, considering it justified.
Rielly is set to make his return to the game on February 22 against the Golden Knights in Las Vegas. Following this incident, the NHL called Rielly to an in-person hearing, giving them the option to suspend him for more than five games. The meeting was conducted via the Zoom platform.
In the midst of the playoff race in the East, the Maple Leafs will have to manage without their top defenseman against the St. Louis Blues (twice), the Philadelphia Flyers, the Anaheim Ducks, and the Arizona Coyotes. Furthermore, along with Rielly, John Tavares and Mitch Marner will also be absent for the clash against the Blues on Tuesday.
This season, Rielly has scored seven goals and provided 36 assists for a total of 43 points in 50 games. This marks the first time in his 11-year career in the Bettman circuit that he has faced a suspension.
Net Worth
His approximate net worth is valued at $12 million.
